Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I wholeheartedly want to reassure the Deputies and the House about this Bill. As I know from my constituency, our common objective here is to help these people who are in extreme pain. This is a very good grant scheme. I will outline further in my closing comments that the streamlining of the application process will deal with many of the issues the Deputy referred to.

As I said, the Bill itself might have unintended consequences. From that point of view, I ask the Deputy to accept our bona fides, in that we are trying to achieve a much more streamlined and efficient process, much of which has been in place and is in train in recent years in any event, to ensure applicants can have their claims processed in a timely manner and in as efficient a way as possible. I accept wholeheartedly the thrust behind the Bill and its importance.

As I said earlier, we are not opposing this Bill but rather seeking to defer further consideration while we complete the ongoing review. While we support the objective of a timely decision on applications, some provisions need further consideration to ensure ease of access for applicants to the scheme.

This Bill seeks to address an administrative issue through the use of primary legislation. The current legislative base under the Housing Acts, and the 2007 regulations made under those Acts, already provide for the implementation of the measures called for within the provisions of the Bill.

Further, on a practical level, it is unclear what real effect the additional documentary requirements proposed in the Bill would have in terms of processing times for the application process. They run the risk of placing some additional burdens on applicants. Our concern is that the flexibility exercised currently by local authorities could be reduced by some of the provisions contained in this Bill. The Bill would potentially outsource the inspection of properties to privately recruited engineers, with the applicants themselves having to source and pay for this service. This work is already being done effectively by local authority technical staff. A personal visit by a local authority inspector to an applicant is very valuable in delivering a quality service to the people who need it.

Placing the responsibility for this work on the applicant would also result in either the applicant having to be recompensed or to bear the cost themselves. The Bill could also close down the flexibility for local authorities which already have a panel of occupational therapists, OTs, available to evaluate applications once received. This arrangement often provides the local authority with a reliable report on the needs of the applicant, and coupled with the input of the local authority technical staff, helps ensure the funding is safeguarded for those most in need.

The Bill also proposes to place an outdated version of administrative guidance on a statutory footing, which would result in a possible legal issue while also undoing the progress achieved in streamlining the application process over the past number of years.

Colleagues in the House know that local authorities strive in every way to get the right services to the people who need them. We all know of cases where people with a disability, or the elderly, apply under the scheme and where the local authority goes the extra mile, often prompted by their technical resource who has actually visited the home. I do not think any of us in this House want to lose those particular advantages and the impartiality of that.

I fully accept that consistency of approach is a critical issue in the administration of these grants and this is being pursued through the implementation of Housing for All, which commits to review the range of grants currently available to older people and people with disabilities. The Government is focused on taking concrete action to deal with certain inconsistencies which exist in the grant application process and the administration of the scheme nationwide.

The majority of local authorities have adapted their approach in recent years as part of the streamlined application process to ensure the available resources are targeted at those in most need, including prioritisation on the grounds of medical and financial needs. My Department seeks to bring together this experience that has been built up over the years since the scheme was introduced to ensure this shared knowledge is further developed across all 31 local authorities.

I am very conscious of the social benefit accruing from the scheme, particularly facilitating people to remain living independently in their own homes. Very significant progress has been made on increasing the reach of this valuable grant scheme. More than 110,000 households have benefitted from this scheme since its inception and the best way to ensure the State fully meets its obligations to those who need assistance is through improved delivery and the development and implementation of improved policies and measures where required.

Notwithstanding the improvements to the processes that are involved with these grants, I think Deputies will agree how critical the increased funding that has been made available for the scheme in recent years has been. The level of funding has increased year-on-year since 2014, from €43 million in 2013 to just over €81 million allocated in 2022.

The review initiated under Housing for All is a significant process that will improve the operation of the grants and will achieve better application and processing arrangements, without losing the flexibilities that are currently working well for both the local authorities and for people who avail of the grants. Accordingly, the Government proposes the reasoned amendment in response to this Bill seeking that it is deferred for a period of 12 months to explore further the extent to which the underlying ambition of the Bill can be addressed through the review already under way and to allow for further consideration of certain legal issues associated with the Bill. I assure Deputies that we will keep them informed of the progression of the streamlining process.

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